Endings

Sometimes it's not fun when things have to end. That goes with many things in life. Letting go is hard. 

If you read this blog much, you know that I had high hopes for making a go of a business venture with Avon. I have to admit that I failed with that.  It was a disheartening defeat.  I'm not an in your face sales person, so I suppose it wasn't a good fit for me.

Recently, I left a Facebook group that I've belonged to for a significant period of time. To my knowledge, no one has noticed. I guess that proves to me that it was a good time to exit because I think I really needed to let go of a pattern within myself.  Although I miss the group a bit, I'll soon fill my mind and time with other things.

That's the thing with endings.  They create new beginnings.

I've been trying to end my procrastination, but that ending is a very hard one for me.  I think my fear of failure gets wrapped up in it.  I catch myself procrastination writing.  It's silly because it is the one thing I feel I'm good at but yet worry about harsh judgments about it. Some days I don't do any writing and then beat myself up about it.  Procrastination calls for a needed ending for sure.

Another thing I decided to end is by choice. I've been taking a statin medication and the side effects of this one are weight gain, swelling, and muscle/nerve pain.  This is the second statin I've tried. The first caused crippling nausea and vomiting. I am not going to take it.  The weight gain in itself will eventually create other health problems that don't need to be conceived. The doctor is going to have to work with me on finding an alternative or I will do without it.  Cholesterol has as of yet not been an issue of my many.  This preventative measure just feels wrong and in my mind it screams bad idea.  I'm ending it before it gets started. Quality of life is worth something to me.

I'm going to temporarily end my cheap attitude of not spending significant money on myself.  I think I need new glasses. The glasses I'm wearing are ok but not perfect.  I shouldn't have to sit on top of the computer monitor to see perfectly.  Our insurance only pays for glasses every two years. I got new glasses after cataracts surgery in 2015. Those glasses never did suit me and I got different ones after that.  I'm sort of lost in the process. I think I'll just suck it up and see what insurance will or will not pay for at this time. I need to see what I'm doing easily and effortlessly.

Another thing I really need to end is the mean reaction I have toward myself when I perceive I've failed.  The statin drug issue is a prime example. The weight gain has been a big issue in my own mind.  The last visit I had with my doctor I got a big speech on watching what I eat, exercise, and cutting back on salt.  I had already done all of those things and I took the full blame for my weight. I thought I had to be doing something wrong.  Then one day out of boredom I did a vocal command on my phone to research the prescription I was taking.  Bingo. There was the answer.  I felt such relief to realize that it wasn't all on me.  I'm going to do this same vocal search for my doctor the next time I see  him. Part of me is furious and the other part wants to cry.

So, I'm going to pledge to myself to be stronger about having the courage to end things.  I've going to listen to that little voice in my head that has a good idea now and then. 

Famed author, Louise Hay, has this wonderful affirmation, "I bless the past with love and let it go." I am going to repeat it over and over to myself to bring about a positive new beginning.

Thank you for reading.

Sherry

A Story Of Cowboy Angels

I come to you today with a story on how prayer really works. Yesterday, as I do everyday, I asked that the cowboy angels would watch over my husband as he went out to do what he loves which is work on fence, feed cattle, etc. He usually leaves early and comes in late. Yesterday was no exception. However, he did have one doosy of a story to tell.

He had been in at his dad's helping to mend some fence. For some reason he had the bright idea to stand on top of a big round bale in a bale row while pulling wire. His dad was mowing weeds with a brush hog attachment on a bob cat skid steer. Somehow the wire got caught up in the mower and jerked my husband to the ground quicker than a cowboy getting bucked off a bull. He was left with whip marks from the wire across his face and a story to tell. He said he almost took the big trip.

I told him if he didn't think of safety a little better in the future, I wasn't going to let him go out and play. Thank heaven the angels were with him. As I eluded to earlier, I always pray that cowboy angels will go with him when he leaves the house because always in his stories there is the line, “you never would have thought”. I'm always thanking those angels for interceding for him.

He'll heal up just fine this time and he'll have fun telling his buddies the story.

Thank you for reading.

Sherry

Avon Representative, Sherry Stoll

www.youravon.com/sstoll

Kawasaki Manufacturing Hiring In Maryville, MO

Kawasaki Manufacturing is now hiring in Maryville, Missouri for all shifts. Here is a list of openings from the Kawasaki website. https://recruiting.adp.com/srccar/public/RTI.home?d=NewExtCareerCtr&c=1062241

At this factory they manufacture small motors that are well known for their excellence in the industry. I am told that it is a team atmosphere and those that work hard are rewarded with advancement and yearly bonuses. It is well worth looking at their website www.kawasakimaryville.com if you're in need of employment.

My thought is that this could be a great opportunity for anyone, but especially for those displaced by hurricanes and fire. If you need or know of someone who needs to start over, Maryville, Missouri is a great place to consider. I've lived on a nearby farm in this community for almost twenty years. We have a population of somewhere near 13,000 and we are the home of Northwest Missouri State University. Our crime rate is low and our people are friendly. It's a nice place to call home.

Another reason I like Kawasaki, is that my husband works there as a maintenance assistant. He does all the preventive maintenance on the forklifts and tuggers, etc on second shift. He tells everyone that it is the best job in the factory. We found out during my recent health scare how magnificent their health benefits are. We are so very thankful for them.

If you have any questions about Maryville, MO, please leave them in the comments. I'll do my best to get you an answer. This is a growing community and you just might love it if you come here.

Thanks for reading.

Sherry

Please visit my Avon website to see my full line of Avon products.

www.youravon.com/sstoll

A Rainy Wet Day

Today is a rainy wet day here at the farm. My right leg hurts so bad that I could literally scream. I overextended the muscles as I was getting in and out of the shower. My knee and my lower leg are the culprits of discomfort today. In general, my legs are still recovering from the diabetic coma I was in over a year ago. My hope is that at least by acknowledging the pain, I can release it. I'm trying to stay off pain relievers because I don't like them and their side effects.

The day started out with a Pop Tart fire in the kitchen. My husband mistakenly put it in the microwave for three minutes instead of 30 seconds. Smoke was billowing. It's a good thing it was raining so the little fire was put out when the mess was tossed outisde by my husband. The farm cats scattered. They were smart enough to get out of the way.

The dogs seem a little unsettled today. They are barking at more than the cattle walking by. It's so foggy and misty out that I can't really tell the who, what, when, where and how of it all. Most likely the weather has a lot to do with it.

My mom had cataracts surgery this morning. I wasn't able to be with her, but I'm very thankful than my sister and dad were. I'll be taking her a meal tomorrow with my husband. She already put in a request for what she wanted. My husband helped get things ready ahead of time, so we'll just have to pick up and leave in the morning. We live about an hour away.We'll spend the day and leave the leftovers so she doesn't have to cook for a day or two.

I don't have a big evening planned. Sometimes I listen to the local radio station and their coverage of Friday night highschool football games. I never had children of my own and I guess I live vicariously through other families with their kids playing. It seems the games may get rained out tonight anyway. I can always share my Avon website on social media as a plan B.

Thanks for reading.

Sherry

Please visit my Avon website ...

www.myavon.com/sstoll

My 50 Years

This has been a big week for me. I turned 50 years old. It was a very low key day as it came and went without much fanfare. That's alright with me, though. It fits my personality well. My husband promises to take me to a flea market this weekend as a celebration of sorts and I must say that I'm really looking forward to that. I'll be a nifty antique looking at other antiques. Fun is on the horizon.

As I reflect on my 50 years, I realize the main constant has been change.

I have seen the invention of cell phones, personal computers and all kinds of other improvements that affect my daily life. Astronauts walked on the moon for the first time in my lifetime and we've sent a land rover to Mars. There is even a space station.

Back in the good old days, I can remember that we did a series in my social studies class on what the future might be like. I thought I would be buzzing along in flying car like they did in the Jetsons cartoons. I expected to have a personal robot too. I thought the future would be a fantastic place. And, it is really.

There are so many things tjat have changed in my 50 years. I will just say that I give gratitude to those dreamers and inventors who have made this world a better place. I love their vision. I welcome positive change.

As I stroll through the antiques at the flea market this weekend, I will think fondly of the past and I will remember one of my favorite affirmations. “I bless the past with love and let it go.” And, As I move forward in this moment, I say “Today, the rest of my life is the best of my life. My future is fantastic.

Thank you for reading.

Sherry

Hello, Mr. Frog

Hello, Mr. Frog …

One of my favorite sounds of spring is the croaking of fogs on our pond. It's a very soothing sound for me. It's such a sound of rebirth compared to the harsh whistling of the cold winds of winter.

So, as I began to be entertained by the frogs a few weeks ago, I was down in my basement doing some laundry when my thoughts turned to spiders. I'm not a huge fan of them. I had the passing thought that I could use a frog in my basement to eat the spiders. I live in a little old farmhouse and I gave myself a chuckle with the thought.

As I came up my basement stairs, I said a prayer. “Dear, Lord; Could you please send me an angel to rid my house of spiders? This I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.”

I never thought anymore about it.

A few days later, we had a thunderstorm and water came into my unfinished basement. Clean up ensued.

Later, when I was back upstairs at the computer, I heard a single frog croaking.

I smiled.

Opening up the basement door and standing at the top at the stairway, I sure enough heard the frog croak again. I said, “Hello, Mr. Frog.”

Then I realized that I needed to thank God for my angel to rid my house of spiders. Who knew it would be a frog?